For decades, foreign auto makers built their vehicles in whatever country they were based in. Spearheaded by Honda, companies have set up production lines in the countries their cars are sold in, cutting down on exporting time and cost. Now, the roles may be reversed. Cars built in the US, like Honda Accord, are being shipped to Korea.
With the yen at an all time low, it is more cost effective for Honda to import cars to Asia from America.
"Honda Motor Co is considering importing more cars into South Korea from the United States instead of neighbouring Japan, its chief executive said on Wednesday, in a move aimed at avoiding damage from the yen's strength."1
These are the same rides you can see for yourself at Piedmont Honda in Anderson, South Carolina.
It brings up an interesting observation - will these exported American vehicles keep the same dimensions as they do here, or will smaller versions be made to send into Korea? North American versions of Japanese cars tend to be somewhat larger than the Japan counterpart, since American car buyers want/need more room. Also, the US infrastructure includes wider, less crowded highways.
Source: 1http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/11/09/honda-korea-idUSL4E7M919220111109
